Fructose Diet - Is it Really the Shangri-La?

By Deen Dragonovich

The Shangri-La diet or fructose diet as it is sometimes referred to, was invented by University of California at Berkeley professor Seth Roberts, Ph.D, using himself as a guinea pig.

Roberts' fructose diet is based on the Set point theory. According to the theory, each person has built within him or herself a control system that dictates how much fat they should carry. You feel hungry when your weight is less than your set point. You feel satisfied when your weight is about the same as your set point and you feel full when your weight is above your set point.

He states that "our set point is determined by the flavors that we eat." And after much experimentation, Roberts allegedly found a way to trick the set point. The solution he says is to drink unflavored sugar water between meals or unflavored flavorless oils between meals, more specifically granulated fructose and unflavored canola or extra light olive oil.

According to Roberts, for best results drink 2-5 tablespoons per day of this concoction 1 hour before your meals. Taking it 1 hour before your meals will give you that feeling of fullness. He claims that this formulation has allowed him to lose 40 lbs.

According to Roberts, these two compounds give you calories without flavor and your brain doesn't get the signals to raise your set point. Roberts also claims that his fructose diet stops you from thinking about junk food or react very strongly when you see your favorite foods. Food basically stops being attractive to you and ultimately you'll eat less. According to him, the fructose diet has helped him lose 40 lbs. and kept it off.

Many doctors and scientists are skeptical of this fructose diet. They claim there are no scientific studies to back any of Roberts' claims and many believe the diet to be dangerous. However, his book The Shangri-La Diet is filled with testimonials from people touting the diets effectiveness.

The controversy around the fructose diet centers around fructose itself. There have been numerous studies that show fructose may in fact be a leading cause of obesity in America. In fact, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that the increased use of fructose actually preceded the obesity epidemic.

Regardless of whether or not the fructose diet works, it is clear that fructose carries with it a lot of baggage and should be looked at with caution. - 17268

About the Author:

About the author: Deen Dragonovich has spent 30 years in the nutrition and wellness industry and has written a excellent free weight loss ebook with great weight loss tips to help those wanting to lose weight fast!

Why Bodybuilding is so Effective for Losing Fat

By Mark Dale

Far too many people believe they need to go on specialist diets or do intense cardio routines to lose fat and weight. However, bodybuilding has been proven time and time again to be the best way to lose fat permanently.

In order to lose weight you must burn more calories than you are taking into your body. If you are on a sensible diet plan that reduces your caloric intake and you add bodybuilding exercises to your routine, you will be burning more calories than you are eating and in turn losing weight as you build lean muscle.

This is why bodybuilding helps with weight loss. Your metabolism is determined by how your body is able to burn calories and how efficiently your body burns that energy.

If you body's metabolism increases, the more calories it burns throughout the day. Lean muscle mass, age, and gender are all factors in your metabolic rate.

The more lean muscle your body has, the higher your metabolic rate is - therefore, as you are bodybuilding and following a diet program, your body will lose weight fatty inches because it is building lean muscle and increasing its metabolic rate.

To attempt to lose weight before bodybuilding is a complete waste of time. As you go through the right sort of bodybuilding program you will be able to see your fat disappear and your muscle mass and/or muscle tone increase.

In any sort of fitness regime many people often talk about your body mass index (BMI) reading to know if you are within a healthy weight range. However, as you build muscle mass and burn fat your BMI will not be an accurate indicator of health or your fat levels.

Muscle is heavy and dense, so as you add lean muscle mass to your body with a body building program, you may not see a decrease in your weight. However, this does not mean you have not lost fat, it means you are shifting your muscle to fat ratio. You are becoming learner, not lighter.

Since BMI is your height divided by your weight multiplied by 703, a person who regularly body builds could have a BMI similar to someone who is obese. To accurately gauge your body's fat; you should use fat callipers or body fat analyzers.

Everyone wants a permanent weight loss program that will keep the fat off for good, but many look for a miracle pill or a fad diet. Forget that nonsense; a bodybuilding program designed specifically around your goals is by far the best way to lose fat forever.

As you progress with your bodybuilding program you will notice the fat inches begin to disappear and your muscle tone starts to show. And remember, you do not need to lose weight before bodybuilding, but you do need a good bodybuilding program to help lose fat and feel great permanently. - 17268

About the Author:

Do you want to get the best bodybuilding program for burning fat and increasing muscle tone? We review all the best bodybuilding programs available on the Internet.

Several Ways to Lower Blood Pressure Before Testing

By Michael Byrd

Do you want to know how you can lower blood pressure before testing? I have the perfect answer to that.

And it is reinforced by science.

There are definitely no shortcuts here. The method that we will use is systematic and based on scientific research.

Let us begin with the basics and slowly move on to other strategies.

First, you will need to stop smoking if you are doing it. Doctors have always kept reminding us that smoking is not good for our health.

If you are really aiming to lower your blood pressure, check your diet. You may need to replace your diet with whole grains, lean meat, low-fat dairy, lots of veggies (with no cheese and butter) and fresh fruit.

Try to stop or minimize your intake of alcohol, caffeine and sweets.

I'm sure some of you have heard of this before, but it is now time to take action.

Begin a regular exercise program. Start by taking short walks then gradually increase it as you gain stamina. Exercise can improve muscle tone, strength, endurance, and circulation.

In the end, it is always good to add light strength training.

While you are doing it, learn to relax. And I mean really stop worrying about the things that bother you.

Find things that you love doing. If you like the things that you do, you will feel happy and will worry less. Your feelings will bring your blood pressure up or down.

Finally, you must not forget supplementing your diet with nutrients needed to lower blood pressure. Find the list below on what and why.

Vitamin E is good if you have problems in your circulation which may be causing your high blood pressure. It is known to soften blood thus enhancing good circulation.

Vitamin C improves the elasticity of the arteries and veins, contributing to good blood circulation.

Scientific research shows that a diet supplement of essential fatty acids combined with good exercise can help in lowering blood pressure. Whole grains and fatty fish are the best source of fatty acids. But stay away from flaxseed, borage and primrose oils.

The fact is, try to get a fish oil supplement that has ETA. ETA increases the elasticity of the arteries to lower the blood pressure.

Last but definitely not least, take garlic tablets at night. Garlic is known to reduce blood pressure.

Find a good brand, but do not buy deodorized tablets. They are just marketing gimmicks. It is allicin in garlic that gives it the undesirable odor, but is also the one giving health benefits as well. You can try coated garlic. The odor is eliminated but it works well.

So that's it ? ways to lower blood pressure before testing.

So if you start today, try to give it one to three months and you will be happy with the results of your next test. - 17268

About the Author:

To get all the latest news about omega 3 fatty acids, be sure to visit us at the fish oil website.

Quality Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis

By Andrew John

Rheumatoid arthritis is a well-known, so far incurable and very annoying disease. While it is not lethal, the fact that it attacks not only joints, but also some internal organs makes it much more dangerous than any other form or arthritis. What is even worse, this arthritis always affect both sides of the body. While normally people may suffer from pain in only a single joint at the time, rheumatoid arthritis cause inflammation in the same joints in the both sides of the body simultaneously. For example, if this arthritis attacks knees, it will cause the inflammation at the both knees at the same time. As the result, most areas of life that are related with movement or physical activities are seriously affected by the disease.

The bad thing is that rheumatoid arthritis is for now incurable. It doesn't mean however, that those who suffer from it can't do anything to improve the quality of their lives. First, there are some prescription-only medications that can reduce the visible symptoms and pain, making one's life much easier. Then, there are also some other ways to improve the quality of life. Sometimes even the smallest changes in one's lifestyle may make the difference.

The first thing you can do is, of course, some physical activity like swimming, jogging or other similar sports such as tennis. Ask your doctor about the specific exercises that could be the most beneficial in your situation. Basically, rheumatoid arthritis is much less dangerous if you keep your muscles and joints in top condition. Do not put too much stress on your joints though - learn how to bend properly, avoid lifting heavy weighs and make sure that your joints do not work too much - you have to keep them moving, though.

Pain is certainly the worst condition related with rheumatoid arthritis. While sometimes taking prescription pills to quell the pain is the only way to get rid of it, usually the best solution is to use heat or cold to reduce pain. The exact effectiveness of heat or cold may be different depending on the individual predispositions, so you have to check what works best. Hot showers can generally bring much needed relief to muscles and soreness, while ice packs work best to reduce pain in the inflamed areas.

The diet may also have a profound effect on rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to improve the condition of joints and seriously reduce the pain felt by those affected with rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3 can be found in fish or in food supplements such as Omega Daily. - 17268

About the Author:

The Article Author: Andrew John reports on subjects that are important in helping people help themselves. For additional information on Omega Daily and Rheumatoid Arthritis just click on the links.

Have a 6-pack Like Brad Pitt - Without Doing Crunches!

By Tony D. Martinez

Very soon, Christmas will be past and the New Year is right around the corner. Then will come all the New Year's resolutions to finally get those six-pack abs you have been dreaming about and your girlfriend drools over.

You will be placed in the category of hundreds of others ready to do the same thing. Workout plans will be prepared and you will be motivated in January but by February many will have reverted back to their old habits. This is largely due to the fact that most people don't plan a program that is suited to them. How about getting a Brad Pitt six-pack without even doing a single sit up?

I guess now that I have your enough attention I can tell you more about this little secret.

First let me tell you that this is not a promotion of any latest machine which will magically make your abs perfect. Because the very basic point is that these machines Do Not Work at all! Rockers, Abs loungers and busters are made to do only one thing, get money out of your wallet. They do that work very well, but do little for your muscles.

You can do sit ups and crunches until you're bathed in your own sweat but you will never achieve what you desire. The reason behind this is that there is a thick layer of fat covering your muscles and preventing them from being seen.

Look, when you gain weight in the first place chances are it did not sink to your abdomen and nowhere else, right? You may have gained in your arms first then your abdomen or legs You get the picture? Genetics and bad habits decided how much you would gain and where it would go.

As you may have realized it is impossible to 'spot train'. i.e. You can't just lose weight on one section of your body. The way to reveal your six pack is to lose excess fat from your entire body by burning more calories than you gain.

Once you remove that excess layer of fat you'll be able to see your abs and can decide what exercise you need to do to make them look better.

The basic principle is the same; eat healthily and exercise. Using gimmicky machines and concentrating solely on your abs is a waste of time. Lose weight from your entire body and youll be on your way to Brad Pitt abs.

Everybody has different body structures and habits. By conducting a little research and doing some proper planning, you can work out a program that is suited to your particular situation. So start working today and impress your girlfriend and others. - 17268

About the Author:

Author: Tony D. Martinez reveals tips and strategies for getting killer abs on his site where you can find information aimed at assisting you to uncover your very own six pack.

Getting Rid Of Your Acne With Home Remedies

By Lucy Collins

When it comes to acne, we all just look at it as a simple annoyance, something that makes us feel incredibly self conscious. And, when it comes to treating out acne, we would prefer to find something effective, and something that will not put a damper on our wallets. Here are a few home remedies acne treatments that you might find rather helpful!

It has long been debated whether or not home remedies can work for acne or not, or that they are weaker than other things you can use to fight acne. In many cases they are weaker, but you get less side effects and in many cases they can clear your acne up easily. It is all about allowing the body to heal itself. If you learn to change the way you treat your skin, it may also have lasting results where medications may allow acne to return.

Vitamins can make your body stronger against acne. Niacin, Vitamin A and E are powerful acne-fighting vitamins particularly. You still need to take care how you use vitamins and consult a physician before starting any treatment regimen, of course, even though they are 'natural'.

Garlic has also been known to be one of the most effective remedies out there, despite what others might think. If you take raw garlic, and rub it on the pimples that you need to get rid of you will have clear skin in a relatively short period of time! Make sure that you rub the garlic on your face numerous times a day, though.

A well balanced diet can also be considered excellent home remedies acne treatment! Along with your well balanced diet, make sure that you are eating plenty of fruit throughout your day. Fruit and vegetables within your diet will actually help you to prevent anymore acne breakouts!

Both orange peels and lemon peels are known to be effective at clearing up acne breakouts. Additionally, the freshly squeezed juice of a lemon is guaranteed to help as it's extremely effective in breaking down the grease and dirt which blocks your pores, which in essence is the cause of your acne in the first place.

If you are looking for something in the way of a cream or a pill, then try zinc. Zinc has been a common acne home remedy, and people still continue to use it! Zinc can be found in the form of an ointment that you can apply directly to you face, or you can buy it in pill form and take it for a month. After a month, reduce the amount you are taking, and watch your results!

Of course, as there are many different home treatments you'll need to find which ones work best for you simply through trial and error. The remedies I have mentioned in this article are only the tip of the iceberg and with a little research, you'll find a wealth of others which you may wish to try.

While a few of these remedies seem a bit outlandish, you might be surprised at how effective they actually are. So, grab some garlic or a lemon or two, and get started on those nasty pimples, the right acne remedy is out there, and it is probably in your refrigerator! - 17268

About the Author:

If you have bad acne you should know that there are many ways to treat acne instead of prescriptions. Check out this website about natural cures for acne for many kinds of acne. If you want to go get great advice on getting rid of acne go to this website now.

Can Omega Daily Get Rid Of Rheumatoid Arthritis Suffering?

By Andrew John

Rheumatoid arthritis is certainly the most dangerous and severe form of arthritis. It is known to attack both joints and some internal organs including eyes, lungs and heart. The signs of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) include painful joint and eyes inflammations.

This form of arthritis is very fast-acting. It causes 75 per cent of damage during the first five years (over 50% damage happens during the first two years) - so we have to have it diagnosed as soon as possible. Otherwise most of the damage will be done before we can react. It is especially important as there is no way o undo the damage done by RA - so far it is incurable.

There are several drugs that can be used to reduce the effects of rheumatoid arthritis. First, there are NSAID - Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs such as acetylsalicylic acid and ibuprofen. Most of them are available over the counter, but in more severe cases you may want to ask your doctor for stronger NSAID that are prescription-only. Other means of reducing the symptoms of RA is increasing the intake of Omega-3 fatty acids by taking Omega Daily food supplement or simply by eating more fish oil. These nutrients are known to decrease periods of morning stiffness as well as for reducing inflammations.

Rheumatoid Arthritis can be also fought by other medications. The most effective, but also the most effective are Biological Response Modifiers. While they can virtually stop the progress of RA, their cost prohibits their wider use. A year-long treatment can cost more than twenty-five thousand dollars.

There is also a cheaper alternative to BRM, commonly used to combat rheumatoid arthritis: Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (example: Methotrexate). Their main goal is to reduce the damage done to joints by the disease. Needless to say, they are prescription-only drugs.

Besides medications, there is also a few other things you may want to do in order to make your life with rheumatoid arthritis easier. First, you need to accept that RA won't go, so you can't simply "wait until it is gone." While some activities are beyond of your reach, it does not mean that you can only sit down and watch TV. Another important thing is that you need to do some sport. While you may feel it is safer to put no stress at all to your joints, this will only speed up the disease progress. Strong muscles reduce the impact of RA and increase the flexibility of your joints. However, you'd better choose such exercises that do not harm your joints - usually swimming is the best idea.

The exact reason for rheumatoid arthritis is, so far, unknown. It may be hereditary, but some researchers still consider the possibility of RA being infectious, so no one can really feel safe. As RA does most of the damage very quickly, you need to consult your doctor as soon as you start to suspect that you may have joints inflammations or when you feel the morning stiffness. RA needs to be treated as soon as possible. - 17268

About the Author:

About this Author: John Andrews reports on subjects that are important in helping people help themselves. For more information on Omega Daily and Omega-3 fatty acids just click on the links.

How do antioxidants work?

By Haiyan Lai-Heskin

Small wonder that supplements containing antioxidants to slow, stop or reverse the effects of aging enjoy great success in the marketplace.

Vitamins that have been particularly noted for their antioxidant properties include Vitamins A, C, and E. Aside from the fact that these are a wound to the pocket, antioxidant products offer a delight to those who would like to look young in a flash. But how does this free-radical sponge really work?

Free radicals are produced naturally in your body and are perfectly safe if they stay below a certain level. They are known as "reactive oxygen species", or ROS and first identified by Moses Gomberg in 1900. Free radical creation is part of living and as the cells produce energy (for function and survival), the also create oxygen molecules that are unstable because its electrons are unpaired.

Free radicals are highly reactive as they try to steal electrons from other molecules, including DNA and cellular membranes. Drinking, the radiation coming from TVs and computers, drugs, and cigarette smoking spawn free radicals.

The best recipe for stopping the formation of free radicals and reducing the production of more of them is to have enough sleep(at least seven hours a day) and stay active, exercise and live right.

Free radicals cause damange to healthy cells and are associated with signs of premature aging, they hurt the body by initiating chain reactions of electron scavenging that damage the body's cells. All these damages would mount up and cause our body to accelerate aging.

Free radical are detrimental to our body,as the same logic that oxidation damages metals. Upon breathing, oxygen induces a process called oxidation. And it is in here where free radicals form. This process is likened to the oxidation of metals. Once oxidized, aluminum turns to be white, iron becomes rusty, and copper transforms into green.

Antioxidants help to solve the problems listed above by mopping up the free radicals in the system, and having extra electrons that they are willing to give up to the free radicals, but the antioxidants do not become free radicals themselves in doing so.

Antioxidants work by significantly slowing or preventing the oxidative or damage from oxygen process caused by free radicals that can lead to cell dysfunction and the onset of problems like heart disease and diabetes.

Antioxidants are the knights in shining armour that subjugate the attack of free radicals in the body, the hazardous molecules that damage cells and procure aging and disease. They prevent glaucoma and the age-related degeneration of our macula, and fight the effects of free radical damage by boosting the skins natural protection.

As we get older, Glutathione - is said to be the most powerful antioxidants as are naturally present in our body since we were young is depleted. Supplements like Vitamin A, E, C and selenium, are known to be powerful antioxidants, plays an essential role in the synthesis of collagen.

If antioxidant supplements are not your type, you may take some delectable bite of the super fruits such as blueberry and raspberry which are said to contain the most number of antioxidants.

As you have the current understanding of antioxidants as reducing agents that break oxidative chain reactions, often by scavenging reactive oxygen species before they can cause damage to the cells, no wonder those magic tablets in such high demanding. - 17268

About the Author:

Haiyan Lai-Heskin has been a registered nurse for 16 years. She believes that to beat down the passing of the aging clock, you need the help of High Antioxidants Vitamin. Read more articals about Antioxidant Supplements...

Some Facts You Should Know About Carbs

By Ricardo d Argence

Carbs will be one of the first things you will have to face when trying to lose weight, whether you're trying to lose just a few more pounds or are going to make a serious lifestyle change. Diets say that they are a specifically low carb diet and there are lot of foods out there that proudly proclaim that they are low in carbs.

Do you know what carbs are and what information on them would help you in taking a decision? Does cutting them out really cause you lose weight?

Initially, it is important that you are aware of what carbohydrates actually are. Carbohydrates, generally referred to as carbs, are very important in providing energy to the body.

There are two kinds of carbohydrates. The first are sugars, or simple carbohydrates. The second are starches, or complex carbohydrates. The difference between the two is the length of time it takes your body to digest them. Sugars are digested quickly, while starches take longer. Simple carbs are foods such as pizza, chocolate, cake, and other processed food with sugar additives. Healthier foods like apples, grapes, bananas, and raisins are also considered to be simple carbs as well.

Complex carbs are found in breads, cereals, nuts, pasta, and vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and corn. Complex carbohydrates, take a long time for your body to burn and will give you energy that lasts.

As you might expect, both simple carbs and complex carbs are necessary for your body to function correctly. Think about the fact that sometimes you do need a short burst of energy to get you going, and that at some points, you need food that will keep you going.

The best way to make sure that you keep your energy going with simple carbs is to have a bit of fruit in the morning to get you started and eating well rounded meals that have good complex carbs in them. You store energy in the form of fat when you eat too many carbs. That's the reason why we gain weight.

So with this in mind, you'll find that it is quite important to look carefully at diets that claim to help you cut carbs. The problem that many people have with carbohydrates is the fact that they eat too much of them.

Unless there is a problem with your body's ability to cope with it, cutting a whole food group out is a poor idea. Keep in mind that while carb reduced diets can help to a certain extent, that's happening because you are in fact cutting back. That's not a healthy way to lose that extra pounds! So, you know now that carbs can be good or bad for your body. It all depends on how much of them you consume.

Instead, make sure that you point your gaze towards eating carbs in moderation and getting a lot of exercise. Exercise can go a long way towards getting you the right kind of weight loss that you need, particularly when you are eating well, and it will help you get toned up and looking great. This is an important part of getting the body you want. - 17268

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